Mechanical pencil of the selective plural instrument type



April 4, 1950 D. F. sTEUcK MECHANICAL PENCIL CF THE sELECTIvE PLURALINSTRUMENT TYPE Filed Feb. 4, 1949 E MANWAAL/,T' nM/Mm/ L 5 5 O 2 2 3 mf .y

O f 2 fllll INVENTOR. DONALD FSTEUCK Patented Apr. 4, 1956 MECHANICALPENCIL OF THE SELECTIVE PLURAL'INSTRUMENT TYPE Donald F. Steuck, WestAllis, Wis.

Application February 4, 1949, Serial No. 74,630

4 claims. 1

' My invention relates to mechanical pencils and more particularly topencils which incorporate a plurality of rells to be selected one at atime.

The object of my invention is to provide a mechanical pencil thatsupports refills of varied color or consistencies, lthat may be adjustedin the position and the individual refill expelled and retractedmechanically.-

-Another object of my invention is to provide a device in which theindividual rells are supported individually.

Still another object of my invention is to providea device in which therefills are aligned in a manner to permit their selection for use, andin which the selection may be easily accomplished.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device in which theindividual selected rells may be expelled or retracted manually.

It is manifest to any one familiar with the art that quite frequently itis desirable to have a plurality of colored crayons or varied grades oflead available, the device described and claimed herein would permit aplurality of rells to be incorporated into a single barrel and arrangedin a vmanner in which they may be selected by the user and expelled andretracted one at a time. I Other and further objects of my inventionwill `become more apparent as the description proceeds when taken inconjunction with the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary crosssectional View of the entire assembled mechanical pencil.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view ofthe pencil taken at the line 2-2 inFig. 1. Figure 3 is a similar cross sectional View of the mechanicalpencil taken at the line 3-3 in Fig. l. Figure 4 is a cross sectionalview of the pencil taken at the line 4-4 in Fig. 1. f Figure 5 is abottom view of the pointed end portion of the pencil. Figure 6 is afragmentary cross sectional view of the selection assembly for selectingthe refills by revolving the cap. y Figure 7 is a fragmentary crosssectional vie oi the barrel showing the means of expelling and repellingthe individual refills selected, and

' Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional modi-v f led view of therefill clamp. v

The same characters of reference indicate the same parts throughout theseveral views and referring now to the same, the character Ill shows abarrel constituting the body of the device. There is a cap II rotatablymounted onto the barrel I0 and held in engagement with the barrel IU byfrictional contact. The cap I I has internal (Cl. 1Z0-14.5)

teeth or serrations shown as I2 and the bottom of the barrel II) isprovided with a tip portion indicated by the character I3 and shownattached to the barrel IIJ by means of a thread I4. However, the tip maybe maintained on the barrel in any convenient manner and the cap IImaybe attached to the barrel Ill in any convenient manner but is shownas being supported by frictional engagement at I5.

There is a selection gear I 6 having external teeth shown as I'I. Thisgear I6 is supported by means of a shaft I8 longitudinally disposedwithin the barrel I0 and attached to the selection gear I3 at I9 andsupported at its lower end at 20 to a bottom plate 2i, which acts as anenclosure for the end of the barrel I. e

There are threaded insert supports 22 which are equipped with revolvingmembers 23, threadedly engaging the outer threaded periphery of thesupports 22. In my drawing I show four threaded inserts engaging theselection gear I6, and I show the revolving members 23 supported betweena pair of retaining plates 24 and 24 which are spaced apart from oneanother and are attached to the inside of the barrel I0 at 25. Theseretaining plates 24 and 24 also act as a bearing for the shaft I3, andare provided with elongated apertures shown as 26. An aperture 21 isshown disposed through the side of the bar rel I0, to accommodate anarrow actuating wheel 28, and permits the wheel 28 to extend outwardfrom the` peripheral surface of the barrel I. The actuating wheel 28 issupported by means of a shaft 29 which is journaled within the elon,4

' gated apertures 26 in the retaining plates 24 and 24', and leafsprings 3l) which are attached at one of their ends at 3l to the insideof the barrel I0, act as' a resilient means to contact the ends oftheshaft 29 and force them toward the outer end'` By this resilient' of theelongated apertures 26. means the springs 36 will move the shaft 29within the slots 26 forcing the periphery of the wheel 28` out ofengagement with the revolving members 23. e 1

The rells are indicated by the character 32 and may be of varied colorsof crayon, or variedy consistencies of graphite, depending on thepurpose to which the device is to be used. The re" fills are retained onthe end of the threaded reiill supports 22 by means of a spring ferruleshown asv 33. The end of the threaded insert' supports may also bethreaded as shown at 34- in Fig. 8, and the extreme end of the tpportionI3 attached tothe barrel I0 is provided with an aperture shown `as-f35to permit the refill 32 tobe expelled or retracted, while the threadedrefill supports 22 pass through the aperture 36 shown in the bottomplate 2l of the barrel l0.

In operation the tip portion I3 would be removed, and the threadedrefill supports 22 would be extended through the aperture 36 by applyingpressure to the narrow actuating wheel 28 which pressure brought againstthe resilient members 30, will bring the wheel 28 into engagement withthe revolving members 23 which threadedly engage the threaded rellsupports 22. The rei-ill 32 is then placed within the spring ferrule 33and the threaded insert support is again repelled in the oppositedirection, so as to bring the end of the refill 32 inside of the barrelIl) above the plate 2|. It is then merely necessary to turn the cap Hbringing the teeth l2 within the cap Il. Which are in engagement withthe selection gear I 6 to revolve the selection gear I6 and bring thenext threaded insert support into position so that it may be brought outof the barrel l at the bottom for inserting the rei-ill 32. After all ofthe threaded insert supports are provided with rells a selection may bemade by turning the cap ll within the barrel l0 and by turning theactuating Wheel 28 to revolve the members 23, thereby bringing thethreaded rell supports 22 downward so that the rell 32 projects out ofthe aperture 35 when the tip portion I3 is applied to the bottom of thebarrel I0.

Obviously, the device may be used for many purposes, and although I haveshown a specific arrangement of the component parts I am fully cognizantof the fact that many changes may be made in their form andconiiguration without effecting their operativeness, and I reserve theright to make such changes without departing from the spirit of myinvention of the scope of the appendent claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent in the United States is:

l. A device of the character described to be used with refills, saiddevice comprising a cylindrical barrel open at one end and closed at theother end, a cap member frictionally engaging the open end of saidbarrel, said cap closed at one end and provided with an internalserrated portion at its open end, a conical tip portion engaging theclosed end of said barrel, said tip portion provided with an aperture atits apex, a. selection gear, a vertical shaft longitudinally disposedoff center within said barrel, a pair of retaining plates supportedwithin said barrel, said shaft journaled Within said retaining platesand supported on its lower end by the closed end of said barrel, saidselection gear mounted on the upper end of said shaft, a plurality ofrefill supports disposed longitudinally within said barrel, said rellsupports threaded on their outer periphery and slidably journaled withinsaid selection gear and retaining plate, revolving members threadedlyengaging the outer surface, of said rell supports, said revolvingmembers disposed between said retaining plates, an actuating Wheel, saidactuating wheel partially extending outward through the wall of saidbarrel, a vertical auxiliary shaft supporting said actuating wheel, saidretaining plates provided with elongated apertures acting as bearingsfor supporting the vertical auxiliary shaft, said apertures registeringwith and in alignment with one another, said actuating wheel andrevolving members provided with serrations on their outer peripheralsurface, resilient means attached to the inside of said barrel forurging the auxiliary shaft toward the outer end of said elongatedaperture, thereby normally bringing said actuating Wheel out ofengagement with the said revolving members, said refill supportsarranged to extend through the closed end of said barrel one at a timeand provided with adapters at their depending ends for retaining therells in longitudinal alignment with the aperture at the apex of the tipportion.

2. A device of the character described to be used in combination withrells, said device comprising, a hollow enclosure forming a barrel openat one end, a cylindrical cap engaging the barrel at its open end, saidcap provided with inwardly extending serrations at its open end, saidbarrel provided with a conical tip member removably engaging its closedend, said tip member provided with an aperture at its apex, a selectiongear, a vertical shaft longitudinally disposed off center within saidbarrel, a pair of retaining plates spaced apart from one another, saidplates supported by the face of the inner wall of said barrel, saidshaft journaled Within said retaining .plates and supported on its lowerend by the closed end of said barrel, the said selection gear mounted onthe upper end of said shaft, a plurality of threaded refill supports,said rell supports slidably mounted through said selection gear andretaining plates, revolving members threadedly engaging the outersurface of said refill supports, said revolving members disposed betweensaid retaining plates, an actuating wheel, said actuatingv wheelpartially extending outward from the wall o said barrel, a verticalauxiliary shaft supporting said actuating wheel, said retaining platesprovided with elongated apertures for supporting the vertical auxiliaryshaft, said apertures registering With and placed in alignment with oneanother, said actuating Wheel and revolving members provided withserrations on their outer peripheral surface for engagement with oneanother, resilient means within said barrel for urging the auxiliaryshaft toward the outer end of the elongated apertures thereby normallybringing said actuating Wheel out of engagement with the surface of saidrevolving member, said refill supports arranged to extend through theclosed end of said barrel one at a time and provided with adapters atone end for retaining the rells in longitudinal alignment with thecenter aperture in the apex of the tip member.

3. A device of the character described to be used in combination with aplurality of rells, said device comprising, a hollow cylindricalenclosure forming a barrel open at one end and closed at its. other end,a cap member frictionally engaging the open end of said barrel, said capmember provided with inwardly extending serrations at its open end, saidbarrel provided with a conical tip member arranged for frictionallyengagingl the closed end of said barrel, said tip member having anaperture at its apex, a selection gear, a vertical shaft: longitudinallydisposed oir center within said barrel, a pair of retaining platessupported by the inner face of the wall of said barrel, said shaftjournaled oli center within said retaining plates and supported on itslower end by the closed portion of said barrel, said selection gearmounted on the upwardly extending end of ,said shaft, a plurality ofrell supports, disposed longitudinally within said barrel, said rellsupports threaded on their outer peripheral surface and supportedslidably through said selection gear and retaining plates, revolvingmembers threadedly engaging the outer surface of said refill suD- ports,said revolving members disposed and retained between said retainingplates, an actuating wheel, said actuating wheel partially extendingoutward from said barrel, said actuating wheel provided with anauxiliary shaft extending therethrough, said retaining plates providedwith elongated apertures acting as bearings for supporting the verticalauxiliary shaft, said apertures registering with and in direct alignmentwith one another, said actuating wheel and revolving members providedwith serrations on their outer .peripheral surface for engagement withone another, resilient means disposed within said barrel for urging theauxiliary shaft towards the outer end of said elongated aperturesthereby bringing the actuating wheel out of engagement with therevolving member, said rell supports permitted to extend through theclosed end of said barrel one at a time and being provided with adaptersat their lower end, said adapters arranged to frictionally support saidrell in longitudinal alignment with the aperture in the apex of said tipmember.

4. A device of the character described to be used with refills, saiddevice comprising, in combination a cylindrical barrel open at one endand provided with a centrally disposed aperture in its closed end, acylindrical cap engaging the open end oi said barrel, said cap closed atone end and provided with an internal serrated portion at its open ends,a conical tip member engaging the closed end of said barrel, said tipmember provided with an aperture at its conical apex, a selection gear,a vertical shaft longitudinally disposed olf center within said barrel,a pair of retaining plates spaced apart from one another within saidbarrel and supported by the inner face of the walls of said barrel, saidshaft journaled within said retaining plates and supported at its lowerend by the closed portion of said barrel, said selection gear mounted onthe upper end of the shaft, a plurality of threaded rell supports, saidrell supports slidably journaled within said selection gear and withinsaid retaining plates, revolving members threadedly engaging the outersurface of said rell supports, said revolving members disposed betweensaid retaining plates, an actuating wheel, said actuating wheelpartially extending outward through the wall of said barrel, saidactuating wheel provided with an auxiliary shaft extending therethrough,said retaining 4plate lprovided with elongated apertures for supportingthe vertical auxiliary shaft, said elongated apertures registering withand in direct alignment with one another, said actuating Wheel andrevolving member provided with serrations on their outer peripheralsurfaces, resilient means for urging said auxiliary shaft toward theouter end of said elongated apertures thereby bringing said actuatingwheel out of engagement with said revolving member, said rell supportarranged to extend through the aperture in the closed end of said barrelone at a time and provided with adapters at their lower end forfrictionally retaining refills in longitudinal alignment with the centerof the barrel and the aperture in the apex of said tip member.

DONALD F. STEUCK.

No references cited.

